Librarian hopes school will continue for years to come

My personal experience with Tiger Mountain Community High School was limited to about an hour and a half on Dec. 7, 1992.

I was at that time the young adult librarian at the Issaquah Library, and I visited the school to present a program to a group of young parents.

I didn’t know what would be of interest, but I took along cloth books, board books, books about making toys or clothes or baby food — everything I could think of.

In my entire career as a librarian, I’ve never addressed such an interested, even rapt, audience! Those students were so keen to see the materials I’d brought. They loved the hand puppets (which at that time were for circulation), and some decided then and there to convert the stuffed toys they were scheduled to make into hand puppets instead. Their teacher agreed to help them with the project.

I was able to give every parent a copy of “Goodnight Moon,” (and incidentally, I’d really had to work to persuade the library administration to let me have those books for that particular audience).

The teenagers were happy to show me their lovely babies after the program, and to tell me how they were caring for them — only 15 or 16 years old, but devoted caregivers.

I’ve often thought of those students and their children, children who would now be much older than their parents were in 1992. I do hope their lives turned out happily. I’m sure that attending Tiger Mountain Community High School helped a lot in that respect, and that the school will continue to assist all its students for years to come.

Newly confirmed Police Chief Scott Behrbaum does not expect to make a lot of changes to the department anytime soon.

After serving 17 years with the Issaquah Police Department, and the past seven of those as patrol commander under retired Chief Paul Ayers, Behrbaum said he believes in the ongoing direction of the department.

By Greg FarrarIssaquah Police Cmdr. Scott Behrbaum shakes the hands of City Council members April 7. The council voted unanimously to confirm his appointment by Mayor Fred Butler as the department’s new chief, taking effect April 16 after retiring Chief Paul Ayers’ last day.

“I’m excited for the appointment,” he said. “I’m really proud of our department and the positive impact it has established in our community.”

Issaquah is a naturally beautiful place, but it could be cleaner. Litter — beer cans, gum wrappers — are often found along streets and sidewalks amid the landscaping.

It takes a community to care about keeping Issaquah beautiful, which is why volunteers begin litter patrol in the second annual Spring Clean-up this Saturday morning.

The event is hosted by the Downtown Issaquah Association and Kiwanis Club of Issaquah, but more than 200 volunteers from clubs, organizations and businesses, as well as individuals, have signed up to tackle a segment of town and give it a clean sweep. Girl Scouts will plant flowers to add some spring color to key locations.

Issaquah police arrested a 21-year-old man for making a bomb threat to the Ross clothing store April 13.

The threat led to the evacuation of businesses in the area of the 900 block of Northwest Gilman Boulevard, according to a press release from the Issaquah Police Department.

The business received a telephone call from the man stating there was a bomb in the store. A search was conducted and nothing suspicious was located. Police Cmdr. Stan Conrad said the call allowed officers to quickly collar the suspect.

In a unanimous decision April 7, the Issaquah City Council confirmed Mayor Fred Butler’s appointment of Cmdr. Scott Behrbaum as the new chief of the Issaquah Police Department.

Behrbaum will take the place of retiring Chief Paul Ayers, who served as the department’s leadership for seven years. Ayers’ last day will be April 15.

By Greg FarrarIssaquah Police Cmdr. Scott Behrbaum shakes the hands of City Council members April 7. The council voted unanimously to confirm his appointment by Mayor Fred Butler as the department’s new chief, taking effect April 16 after retiring Chief Paul Ayers’ last day.

By Peter ClarkA log truck overturned on the roundabout at East Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast and Southeast 43rd Way March 27, spilling its load across the road. At least three cars were hit, but there were no serious injuries reported. Issaquah Police and Washington State Patrol officers responded to the scene, closing off the north entrance to clean up the roadway.